The present invention is directed generally to fabricating redistribution traces on electronic components using droplets of different materials. Some embodiments of the invention can include the use of printing technology, such as ink printing technology, to deposit the droplets on an electronic component in selected patterns to form the redistribution traces as well as other elements.
Electronic components are often fabricated with a large number of input/output (I/O) terminals for signal transmission, power supply, ground (or bias), testing, etc. For example, semiconductor devices (e.g., semiconductor dies, which are also known as integrated circuits (ICs), can have conductive bond pads arrayed on the device's active surface, typically in one or more rows about the device periphery or across a central portion of the device. These bond pads are generally formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and are designed to be conductively connected to terminals of another electronic component such as a carrier substrate (e.g., a circuit board), the pattern of terminals on which may not correspond to the locations of the corresponding bond pads on the device. Redistribution traces can be used to relocate an array of I/O terminals of an electronic component. This is commonly done in flip-chip applications as well as other applications.
Making redistribution traces on an electronic component can require multiple deposition and etching steps. Expensive masks and other tools can also be required. Under-bump metallization (UBM) can also be required at the redistributed bond pad locations. Changes to the design and layout of the redistribution traces can require new masks and tools. Likewise, because different layouts, shapes, patterns, etc. of redistribution traces may be required for different electronic components, new masks and tools can be required for each new electronic component type on which redistribution traces are formed. In addition to the material and equipment costs associated with deposition and etching processes, such fabrication techniques can produce waste solutions that can require proper disposal and add to the overall cost.
It would be an advancement in the art to provide a method of fabricating redistribution traces on electronic components which in part avoids or minimizes multiple deposition and etching steps, expensive masks and other tools, and/or costly reagents and process waste. It would be a further advancement in the art to provide a method of fabricating redistribution traces that in part can use “soft” tools, such as tools that are configured by software or other programming means. Although the invention is not necessarily so limited, some embodiments of the invention can provide one or more of the foregoing advancements.